GB1593914A

GB1593914A - Production of packages with elastic container protectors

Info

Publication number: GB1593914A
Application number: GB12265/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Fuji Seal Inc
Current assignee: Fuji Seal Inc
Priority date: 1977-04-05
Filing date: 1978-03-29
Publication date: 1981-07-22
Also published as: US4188249A; IT7821960A0; FR2386454A1; FR2386454B1; DE2814625C2; JPS5819556B2; DE2814625A1; JPS53125183A; IT1093466B

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION

( 11) 1 593 914 ( 21) Application No 12265/78 ( 22) Filed 29 Mar 1978 ( 19) ( 31) Convention Application No 52/038104 ( 32) Filed 5 Apr 1977 in ( 33) Japan (JP) ( 44) Complete Specification Published 22 Jul 1981 ( 51) INT CL 3 B 65 B 11/02 ( 52) Index at Acceptance B 8 C U 20 F 25 30 ( 54) PRODUCTION OF PACKAGES WITH ELASTIC CONTAINER PROTECTORS ( 71) We, FUJI SEAL INDUSTRY CO, LTD, a Japanese Corporation, of 5-3-18 Imzukita, Tsurumi-ku, Osaka-shi, Japan, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in

and by the following statement:-

This invention relates to a method for putting container protectors on to containers, as well as to packages comprising a container protector which has been fitted onto the container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method by the use of which a well-sealed package including a container with its protector can be obtained.

According to the invention there is provided a method for fitting a container protector in the form of an elastic film tube over a part of a container the circumference of which part is larger than that of the elastic tube in its unstressed state, which method utilizes a machine comprising a plurality of substantially similar guide plates which are arranged in a space in the machine in which the fitting is to effected and which are movable inwardly and outwardly, and a support member for supporting the container, the guide plates being movable relative to one another so that said part of the container when it is inserted between the guide plates engages them and moves them outwardly away from each other so as to stretch a tube fitted over them, the plates being returned to their inner positions when the container is removed from the machine, which method comprises fitting the elastic film tube over the guide plates, inserting the said part of the container into the space between the guide plates outwardly and thereby stretch the elastic film tube as the part of the container moves therein and thereafter removing the guide plates from inside the elastic film tube so as to leave the elastic film tube in place on the said part of the container.

The invention further provides a package comprising a container and a container protector which has been fitted to the container by means of a machine which comprises a plurality of substantially similar guide plates which are arraged in a space in the machine in which the fitting is effected and are movable inwardly and outwardly, and a support member for supporting the container, the support member and the guide plates being movable relative to one another so that the said part of the container when it is inserted into said space between the guide plates engages the guide plates and moves them outwardly away from each other so as to stretch a said container protector fitted to them, the plates being returned to their inner positions when the container is removed from the machine.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings These show a preferred embodiment, which, however, is only one of many possible embodiments which could be conceived from a study of this specification by one skilled in the art.

In the drawings:Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a package having a cap seal which has been fitted using a machine and method according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal setional view of another package having a label tube which has been fitted according to the invention; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another package having a label tube which has been fitted according to the invention; Figure 4 is a schematic sectional view of the main parts of a machine according to the present invention for putting a container protector onto a container, the container being shown before it has been inserted 1 593 914 between guide plates which form parts of the machine; Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the machine illustrated in Figure 4 but taken along the line V-V in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the container inserted between the guide plates of the machine; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 6, but showing the container with the protector being removed from the guide plates.

Referring to Figure 1, there is therein shown a bottle 1 having a cap 2 which is sealed by a cap seal 3 The cap seal 3, which is about 0 3 0 4 mm thick, is made of a film, such as polythene film or the like, which has about the same elasticity and viscosity as rubber On this seal there may be provided any desired labelling The cap seal is made in the form of a tube, which is formed by rolling around and bonding a piece of film.

The cap seal 3 has, before it is fitted, a smaller diameter than that of the neck of the bottle 1 Hence, in order to fit the cap seal 3 to the bottle, it needs to be stretched It is put over the neck of the bottle while being stretched, and then it is released Due to its elasticity, it promptly shrinks and grips the neck and the cap of the bottle tightly.

Therefore, there is no danger that the cap seal 3 may become loose, or that dust, dirt, or water should intrude in between the bottle 1 and the cap seal 3 Thus, the cap seal 3 further prevents the cap 2 from becoming loosened Further, there is the added advantage that the neck of the bottle 1, which is apt to be broken in some cases by the pressure of gases generated by some sorts of contents in the bottle, is squeezed by, and therefore is reinforced by, the cap seal 3.

It is also possible to apply some adhesive 3 a inside the cap seal 3, between it and the neck of the bottle 1 In this case the fitting of the seal to the neck of the bottle is facilitated by the lubricating action of the adhesive.

In Figure 2 there is shown a can 4 covered by a label tube 5 The label tube 5 is made in the same way, and fitted in the same way, as the cap seal 3 in Figure 1 When the label tube is printed with a descriptive legend detailing the contents of the can, the outside of the can itself can be left blank without any labelling The label tube 5 is applied to unlabelled cans stored an a warehouse as occasion demands, according to their contents, and this is economical and avoids waste, which is therefore advantageous for stock management The label tube 5 made of a film is durable and is not spoiled by water, as contrasted with a paper label.

In Figure 3 there is shown a can 4, on the top surface of which a spoon 7, a can cutter, or the like may be laid and covered by a cover plate 8 A label tube 6 surrounds the can 4 and the top end portion 6 a of the label tube 6 holds the periphery of the cover plate 8 The label tube 6 is made of the same kind of material and is fitted in the same way as in the cases illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Thus it is seen that the spoon 7 or the like may be easily and securely attached to the can 4 without any possibility of dirt entering and contaminating it.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 7, a method and a machine for putting such a protective tube onto a container in accordance with the invention will now be described.

On an annular base 11 are pivotally mounted a pair of guide plates 12 on opposite sides of the inside annular edge of the annular base 11, on pivot, shafts 13.

These guide plates each goes around about a quarter of the annular edge of the annular base 11, and they are cut slightly slopewise in the axial direction, as illustrated in the drawing.

These guide plates 12 are made of stainless steel, and their inside surfaces conform to the outer surface of the container 14.

These inner surfaces may be coated with, for example, "Teflon" film ("Teflon" is a Registered Trade Mark) so as to reduce the friction between them and the container, and the outside surfaces of the guide members 12 may be roughened so as to increase the friction between them and the protective film to be applied.

A lever 15, which extends outwardly, is solidly coupled to each guide plate at its pivot portion A spring 16, which extends upwardly is connected to the outer end of each lever 15, and imparts to it a pivoting force so as to pivot the guide plate inwards.

A pair of holding members 17 are arranged outside the guide plates 12, and these are movable inwards and outwards A pair of gripping members 18 are also arranged just above the guide plates 12, and these are movable inwards and outwards and also up and down.

The operation of this machine is as follows.

First, the holding members 17 and the gripping members 18 are moved outwards, and the latter are moved downwards so as to be just above the guide plates 12 The container 14 is then placed upon a vertically movable support plate 19, as shown in Figure 4.

A protective tube 20, which is made of an elastic film which has roughly the same elasticity and viscosity as rubber, and which has a smaller diameter in the unstressed condition than the container, is placed over the outside of the guide members 12, these members being of such a size that the upper 1 593 914 edge of the protective tube 20 projects a little above their upper edges.

The support plate 19 is raised, and the container 14 passes through the central hole of the annular base 11 and pushes the guide members 12 outwards about the pivot shafts 13 against the force of the tension springs 16.

As the guide members 12 are moved outwards, the protective tube 20 is stretched over them It is also securely held to them without any possibility of slippage by the holding members 17, which are moved inwards as the guide members 12 are moved outwards, by some appropriate moving means (not shown) Thus the protective tube 20 is held as it is slipped over the container, as shown in Figure 6.

When the container has moved fully upwards so that the protective tube 20 is in the right position with respect to it, the holding members 17 are withdrawn outwards and simultaneously the gripping members 18 are moved inwards and grip the upper part of the container 14 through the film 20 Then the gripping members 18 are raised, still holding the container, and the guide plates 12 are withdrawn from between the protective tube 20 and the container 14 so that the tube contacts the container 14 tightly.

The holding members 17, the gripping members 18, and the support plate 19 are moved by a cam mechanism, limit switches, air cylinders or the like, with the desired timings The details of their means of operation are not essential to the present invention.

In some embodiments it may not be necessary to provide the holding members 17 and/or the gripping members 18 Further, instead of moving the support plate 19, the annular base 11 may be moved Further, the number and the mode of fixing of the guide plates 12 may vary within the limits of the present invention.

Further, as described above, it is envisaged that in some applications are adhesive may be employed in order to fix the protective tube more securely to the container In that case it is necessary to provide a means in the above-described machine to apply adhesive to the inside of the tube or to the outside of the container.

Claims

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1 A method for fitting a container protector in the form of an elastic film tube over a part of a container the circumference of which part is larger than that of the elastic tube in its unstressed state, which method utilizes a machine comprising a plurality of substantially similar guide plates which are arranged in a space in the machine in which the fitting is to be effected and which are movable inwardly and outwardly, and a support member for supporting the container, the guide plates being movable relative to one another so that said part of the container when it is inserted between the guide plates engages them and moves them outwardly away from each other so as to stretch a tube fitted over them, the plates being returned to their inner positions when the container is removed from the machine, which method comprises fitting the elastic film tube over the guide plates, inserting the said part of the container into the plate between the guide plates so as to force the guide plates outwardly and thereby stretch the elastic film tube as the part of the container moves therein and thereafter removing the guide plates from inside the elastic film tube so as to leave the elastic film tube in place on the said part of the container.

2 A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic film tube is held on the guide plates by pressure applied to it from the outside while the container is being inserted between the guide plates.

3 A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the elastic film tube is held on the container while the guide plates are being removed by gripping members which engage the tube.

4 A method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein an adhesive is applied between the elastic tube and the container before the removal of the guide plates.

A method for fitting a container protector to a container, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6 A package comprising a container and a container protector which has been fitted to the container by means of a machine which comprises a plurality of substantially similar guide plates which are arranged in a space in the machine in which the fitting is effected and are movable inwardly and outwardly, and a support member for supporting the container, the support member and the guide plates being movable relative to one another so that said part of the container when it is inserted into said place between the guide plates engages the guide plates and moves them outwardly away from each other so as to stretch a said container protector fitted to them, the plates being returned to their inner positions when the container is removed from the machine.

4 1 593 914 4 7 A package comprising a container and a container protector which has been fitted to the container by means of a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5.

Stanley, Popplewell, Francis & Ross 1, Dyers Buildings, London, EC 1 N 2 JT.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

by Croydon Printing Company Limited, Croydon Surrey 1981.

Published by The Patent Office 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC 2 A l AY, from which copies may be obtained.